Support of workings in underground development



May 22, 1951 E. A. PIERRE SUPPORT F WORKINGS IN UNDERGROUND DEVELPMENT 2 Sheets-5heet l Filed March 17, 1948 .VQQ www,

E l INVENTOR.

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May 22, 1951 E. A. PIERRE 2,554,210

SUPPORT OE WORKINGs 1N UNDERGROUND DEVELOPMENT Filed March 17, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 22, 1951 SUPPORT OF WORKINGSAINUNDERGROUND DEVELOPMENT Emil'esAlfifed Pierre, Valenciennes, France ApplicatiomMarch 1-7, 1948,r SerialNo. 15,364 In France' March 20;v 1947` 13I Claims.. 1

It isr well known in underground development off mines V that: the* roof close. tol the working face hasto i be kept .up byv overhung elementsallowing a way'tobe kept clear for bringing a-coal-cutting machine or scraperluptofthe face.

Ini the usual supports including suspended lengthening pieces keptv up` byone or more pitprops, the roofY isinoilongerf held. up: when the supporting arrangement isV taken; for. using it ahead'.

Plans have been pntforwardv to-Lcut outithisinconvenience. by makingV usel of telescopic lengthening pieces: but the lattery in. shor-tu only forma temporary support arrangementsince a. new,` lengthening piece always: hasL to be.: putin the place ofthe formeronewhen'the latter: isl no longen effectively useful.

Speaking generally; all the arrangements1 put forward for eliminatingtheseadrawbacks.call for the keeping in stocktnear the working face,l of. supportparts intended for, subsequent use andv that, when laidfonrthe floorfofithe levels; are Iin theway` and always liable: toA got astray.v

The supportingv device according to the inven tion, eliminates; these variousawkwardl pointsin` itsnessential features: it isfmadeup of a ser-iesv of support Lmembers.- hinged -togetherf like links of: a chain. and incorporating locking: meansA that l enable each one of them to be xed rigidly with the member ahead: so, that.. it may,V fit.' againstY the roof".

y Byfmakinguse of a: sufl'cientinumberV oft these hinged members orflinks; there; will be. available a single. support device, that. is easyJr to carry, doesnott take'up muchA room and simple to work* Withone ofthefcentral memberswedged against. the roofv byfa .propfar enoughawayrfromv the,` working face to .allow roomv for. the i arrangejmentsffor removal. of broken materiali` the Lnext member ahead will be swungzup against there/(of,

Athen clamped:inithiszposition. In the case where Vthisparticular linkdoesnotcome-fup tof therworking face; the following link` would be sctl up against the roof: andlocked.

The linking membersilocated ahead' of the pre-- vions :ones therefore. `are L hungfidwnr beforehand through theirhinge` joint;v against they working face, so that theyonlyfhave to beA straightened up and locked as soon as there is room forthern;l

Cinv the caving side;othercorrespondingflinks are unclamped. inI advancerexcept tlie Jonenearest to r the f propv and whenV caving tak'esgplace ltheselinks swing` and; stay hangingi throughtheirfli'inges withoutanyidanger. .of being-cauglit'inftheicaved?y ground; f

The links thusef-reed'- after caving` may bedisi-v connected from the neighboring linksV in a very" simple manner, either one by: one; or in sets and joinedup tothe-idleilinks in front of the` work# ing face-so as'tobe put imposition as soon as they areA- wanted, The hingev joint connecting two neighboring links will be thereforepreferably"ofI asimple pattern so' thaty these linking members mayf-bevtaken apart and putup again without any trouble by; ordinaryunderground labor.

The joint between the two links-may be ensured inaccordance with' the 'v inventionk either' by' removable pinsi going through' corresponding holes:

bored in-t-hesupporting links; or by spindles' xed' rigidlywith certain linksv or with' oneend of the* links and intended to engage with cradlescarried by certainv of the supporting" links or by the'end of each'flink opposit'efthe one carrying thev hinge pin;

In accordan'cewith another` charact'eristic'feature" of the invention', the supportingilinks show' a male'en'ollv and a female end planned toengage're-V spectively with" the female" and'- male` ends' of paired-*links Twosetslof support-links alsdmay be provided: the former containing two male ends' and the '-lattertwo female ends;

The links include locking parts,vfor' instance a hole andfa keyintheshape ofia wedge; arranged' sothat their upperfbearing; surface may'either' b'elocated in the pl'aneof':thebearing'surface of" the1 neighboring link; or* form with' the latter; above or'below; a large enough angle; say'5V forA instance; to talize-theshapeV ofI the'corrugations ofv'the roof "without the necessityof insertingany intermediarypacking.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the supporting link members areconneetedtoeach-otherl sod as to" form anv endless' the Lrea-r links to Aconnect them up with.' the A links'vk hanging infront of' the working' face; assumesv naturally enough that there' is suicient play in D ytlie hinges so as-to enable the loose' side4 of` the chain of links to move aside.- from the` vertical planeaud to pass' laterally of fthe prop.

My inventionwillbe understoodbett'er withthe helpoftheaccompanyingdrawings given as an example and in'rwliich:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a supporting link according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a section of it through line III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section through line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section through line V-V of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section through line VI--VI of Fig. 1.

Figs. '7 and 8 show respectively in elevation and plan views two support links locked in the alignment with one another.

Fig. 9 shows in quite a diagrammatic way a timbering layout eifected by means of a chain of supporting links in accordance with the inven;

tion.

The support link illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 is made up of a main body having an I shaped cross section (Fig. 5) and formed by a web I I provided in its upper portion with two symmetrical flanges IIb showing housings or hollowed out parts I2 planned to take projections rigid with the head of the prop.

The main web or body II is extended at one of its ends by a web I3 and at its opposite end by a yoke I4 strengthened by an outer flange Md joined up with the iianges IIa and IIb of the main body and planned to take between its arms the end of the terminal web I3 of the paired link. rlhe two arms of the yoke are connected at their lower end, that assumes the shape shown in Fig. 1, by a spindle I5.

l In the two arms of the yoke are arranged two corresponding openings I6, I'I, assuming together the shape of a wedge and strengthened by a peripheral ange I8 that merges at I9 into the flanges Ida.

' The malel terminal web I3 of the supporting link forms on the other hand, a lower hook 2l adapted to engage the spindle I5 carried by the yoke ofthe paired link and a wedge-shaped opening of suitable direction of taper capable of being positioned between and in register with the openings I and I'I of said yoke. A cross strengtheningflange I3'b connects up with the flanges IIa and IIb.

` Figs. 7 and 8 show in elevation and plan views two supporting links SI j S2 similar to the one disclosed already and hinged together by means of the spindle I5 of link SI and the `hook 2I of element S2. wedge C that can take any intermediate position between positions C1 and C2 shown in dots and dashes in Fig. 8. In these two end positions the upper flanges Ila of the link S2 form with the corresponding portion of link S1 an angle of 5 directed either lupwardly or downwardly. It will b e understood that this latitude of wedging will enable in practice the support to be directly fitted against the. roof notwithstanding esses ofthe latter.

Fig-9 shows in quite a diagrammatic way a working fitted up with a supporting device in accordance with the invention andformed in this particular example by a chain of eleven links S1 toA S11. The links Ss-Sm fixed rigidly by keys constitute a continuous support carried by props E1,.E2. On the carving side F, hang the two links S1 and S2 that, after being unkeyed, lhave swung down at the time of carving,- while a link S11 hangs in front of the working face F1 close to which appears the removal carriage A. All that the miner has to do is to release the hinge spindle of the link S2 on the link S'a and to hinge on link S11 the link S1, thus freed and forming a unit with link S2. And so on step by step.

The locking is effected by a key or lthe uneven It will be advisable, of course, to hold up the support system thus formed by a fresh prop that will be set ahead of the prop Ez when the length of the overhang will be close to the safety limit. In practice, the supporting links according to the invention and as shown in the accompanying drawings have a length of 35 cm. and a chain made up of six locked links with a length of about 2 meters carries an overhung load in the nature of four tons.

The links shown in Fig. 9 in dots and dashes correspond to the employment of an endless chain of links With cross play enabling the return side to pass laterally of the props E1, E2.

What I claim is:

1. A roof supporting system for a mine and the like working having a floor, a roof and a wall forming a working face, said support system including a continuous chain of connected supporting links for supporting the roof; a prop disposed on the floor at a selected distance from the wall and wedging at least one of the supporting links above the same against the roof; and locking means engaging the links which are located between the prop and said wall independently of the connections between said supporting links for holding the latter rigidly together in supporting position beneath said roof.

2. A roof supporting system for a mine and the like working having a floor, a roof and a wall forming a working face, said support system including a continuous chain of connected supporting links for supporting the roof; a prop disposed on the floor at a selected distance from the wall and wedging at least one of the supporting links above the same against the roof; and plural locking means engaging the links which are located between the prop and said wall independently 'of the connections between said supporting links for holding the latter rigidly together in supporting position beneath said roof, said locking means being individually insertible into each mutually adjacent pair of supporting links one by one in order to allow the chain comprising said supporting links to be progressively extended into supporting contact with said roof upon suiicient space becoming available between the foremost supporting link in'said chain and said wall. v

3. A roof supporting system for a mine and the like working having a iloor, a roof and a wall forming a working face, said support system including a plurality of male and female supporting links in which each link has an integral narrow male end and an opposite integral open female end; means for pivotally connecting the male ends of the supporting links to the female ends of the respectively adjacent supporting links to form a connected chain; removable means for engaging and locking any selected pair of adjacent supporting links rigidly together in addition to and independently of the pivotal con.-

nection therebetween to form a substantiallyl rigid supporting unit of serially successive 'supporting links bearing against the roof to support the same; and at least one prop disposed onthe hoor and removably engaging at least one of said supporting links and holding the same against said roof.

4. A roof supporting system for a mine andthe like working having a floor, a roof and a wall forming a working face, said support system in'- cluding a plurality of supporting links; means for pivotally interconnecting the latter to form aconnected chain; one or more props disposed on'the same supporting. links; and locking pins` for en gagingjin theregistering apertures; in any; tvvo adjacent connected links in order to secure the latteriosether to for-1n e Substantially: rigid unit" bearing against said roof.

5- A roof supporting, system f or like working having a floor, a roof and a Wall forming a Working face, said supportsystem in@ cluding a plurality of connected supporting links forming a chain; a prop disposed on thel floor at a selected distance from. the Wall and vil/,edging at least one ofthe supporting links above the; saine against the roof y; each link comprising avertical web; a flange substantially perpendicular to the Web and integral with the upper portion thereof and normally engaging against said roof; ashoe. integral with thel lower portion of the. web; disposed. in a position to be .engagedV by tremano-r; the Drop? mutually (3l/@flapping ndS; 1111011., each adjacent pair of supporting links; pivot Inerribers pivotally; interconnecting ythe overlapping ends-s of. said supporting links; and additional transfverse members individually engaging simultar neously with any selected adjacent pair o f said supporting links and locking. the latter. intofar substantially rigid unit bearing against said-roof.

6v, vA roof supporting system for a minerandi the like Working having a floor,`a roof and a Wall forming a working face, said supportl system in-v cluding. a plurality of connected supporting links, forming a chain; a prop disposed o n the iloortat,

aseieoteddistame from ihevall and. Wedeins et least oneI of theusupporting linksabovethe same againstl the roof ;v each link comprising a verticalr Web; a flange substantiallyperpendicular to 'the web andlintegraljwi'th theupper portion thereof and normally engaging against said roof; a shoe integral with thelowerportion of the web dis-- posed in a position to be engaged by the head of the prop; an integral male connecting member disposed at one end of each supporting link and a corresponding integral female connecting means disposed at the other end thereof; pivot means integral with the female connecting means on each supporting link and a corresponding integral `pivoting engagement portion extending upon the male connecting member on each supporting link in effective position to pivotally engage and connect with the pivot means of the female connecting means on the next adjacent supporting link in the chain; and a plurality of securing means for independently and individually securing any selected pair of adjacent supporting links into a substantially rigid serial succession of links forming a unit independently of the pivotal connection between the links for bearing against said roof to support the latter.

7. A roof supporting system for a mine and the like Working having a floor, a roof and a Wall forming a Working face, said support system including a plurality of connected supporting links forming a chain; a prop disposed on the floor at a selected distance from the Wall and Wedging at least one of the supporting links above the same against the roof; each link comprising a vertical Web; a flange substantially perpendicular to the transverse bearingaperturesupon` each supporting linkand the male connecting member on web and intergal with thel upper portion thereof and normally engaging against said roofs a shoe integral with the. lower portion of the web dis. posed in a position to be engaged by the head of, the. prop.; an integral4 male connecting meme. ber disposed at onesend of each supporting linky and a corresponding integral female connecting means disposed at the other end thereof; atrans, verse spindle rigidly mounted on each female. connecting means` and a corresponding bearing formed. upon each male connecting member and` serving toY pivotallyv engage withV and carry the transverse spindle on the female connecting means of the next adjacent supporting link in the chain; and a pluralityV of securing means forindependently'and individually Securing any selected pair of adjacent supporting linksA into. a Substantially rigid Serial Succession rif-links. forining a unit, independently ofthe pivotal connecf. tion between thelinks. for bearing against said-z roof to support thelatter.

8: A roof supporting system for a mine and the like working hai/ine o fioorf. e roof` and wall forming a working facey said supportA sys-v tem including aplurality. of connected supporti-fy ing links forming a chain;v a prop disposed on the floorEY aty a selected distance from the Wall and vvedging at least one ofthe supporting links,` above the same againstthe roof; each ylink com-` prising.. a vertical web; a flange substantially perpendicular to. the. web and integral! with the upper portion thereof and normally engaging-v againstvsaidroohf a1 shoe integralI with the lower` portion of the web disposed in a position: toY be engaged by the headof the prop; a male connecting member rigidly disposed at; one end of;

each supporting link and a corresponding doublel female connecting means disposed at theL other end thereof, the double female connecting means having a pair of substantially coaxial each of the latter having a. corresponding bearing aperture registering with the coaxialv bear-- ing apertures in they female connecting means of the-` next adjacent link in the chain when the. links involved are substantiallyaligned; removable,r locking members selectively inserted inc livirluallyA into the corresponding coaxial bearing apertures of the female connecting means and corresponding registering bearing aperture of the male connecting member in any selected adjacent pair of supporting links to lock the latter into a substantially rigid unit supporting said roof; and pivot means upon the supporting links independently interconnecting them pivotally in a continuous series of links forming said chain.

9. A roof supporting system for a mine and the like working having a floor, a roof and a wall forming a working face, said support system including a plurality of connected supporting links forming a chain; a prop disposed on the floor at a selected distance from the Wall and Wedging at least one of the supporting links above the same against the roof; each link comprising a vertical web; a flange substantially perpendicular to the web and integral with the upper portion thereof and normally engaging against said roof; a shoe integral With the lower portion of the web disposed in a position to be engaged by the head of the prop; a substantially flat integral extension upon one end of each supporting link and a corresponding oppo site forked yextension on the other end of each 7 link normally engaged by the flat extension'of the next adjacent supporting link; means piv-l otally connecting the forked extensions upon the supporting links with the flat extensions on the respectively adjacent supporting links toV connect them in a series to form thechain;V and a plurality of securing means for independently and individually securing any selected pair ofA adjacent supoprting links into substantally rigid serial succession of links forming a unit independently of the pivotal connection between the links for bearing against said roof to support the latter.

10. A roof supporting system for a mine and the like working having a oor, a roof and a Wall forming a working face, said support system including a plurality of connected supporting links forming a chain; a prop disposed on the floor at a selected distance from the wall and wedging at least one of the supporting links above the same against the roof; each link comprising a vertical web;- a iiange substantially perpendicular to the web and integral with the upper portion thereof and normally engaging against said roof; a shoe integral with the lower portion of the web having transverse recesses;

corresponding projections on the upper end ofthe prop for removably engaging in the recesses of the shoes of the supporting links; means for pivotally connecting one end or' each supporting link to the other end of the next' adjacent link in the series to form a continuous chain; and wedging means for independently locking at least two adjacent supporting links together into' a substantially rigid unit for bearing against said roof.

11. A roof support system for mining and like galleries having a floor, a roof and a wall forming a working face, including a supporting chain for supporting the roof and having means for supporting said chain against said roof, said supporting chain including a seriesv of similar supporting links, each of which supporting links comprises a main body of I-shaped intermediate cross-section and terminating in a bifurcated or double extension at one end thereof and terminating at the other end in a single Web-shaped extension normally engaging between the two limbs of the bifurcated extension of the next adjacent supporting link in the chain; a transversely disposed spindle rigid with one extension and a transversely disposed hooked cradle rigid with the other extension for rockably engaging and connecting with the spindle on the corresponding extension on the next adjacent link, the bifurcated extension on the one end of each supporting link having a pair of transversely aligned apertures in the two limbs thereof of suitable tapered form of receiving a transverse wedge therethrough and the single Wedge-shaped extension on the other end of the supporting link involved having a corresponding-transverse tapered aperture registering with the two apertures in the bifurcated extension' of the next adjacent link when both ladjacent links are disposed in a predetermined mutual roof supporting position with respect to each other; and a transverse Wedge extending through the aligned and registering apertures -in the corresponding adjacent extensions of the adjacent pair of supporting links and thereby holding both the latter together in a rigid unit in said chain bearing against and supporting said roof.

12. A roof supporting system for a mine and the like having a floor and a roof, said support system including a chain of connected supporting links for supporting said roof; at least one prop adapted to be placed on said floor so as t0 wedge at least one of said supporting links of said chain against said roof; and a plurality of locking means each adapted to hold a pair of consecutive supporting links rigidly together in supporting position beneath said roof.

13. A roof supporting system for a mine and the like having a floor and a roof, said support system including a plurality of supporting links for supporting said roof adapted to be connected in series; at least one prop adapted to be placed on said cor so as to wedge at least one of said supporting links against said roof; and a plurality of locking means each adapted to hold a pair of consecutive supporting links rigidly together in supporting position beneath said roof when said links are connected in series.

ElWILE ALFRED PIERRE.

No references cited. 

